Steemit.com can lay claim to one more massive accomplishment in their long list. They created a new type of Internet user: the bum.
Empty coffee cup in their hand, clanking around with a couple of shitposts, you’ll find the bum with their butt planted on the Steemit curb, holding a sign that says something like “help me feed my family with upvotes”.
I’m sure the thinking goes something like:
“Other people have money. Why not me? Am I right? I deserve an upvote. I signed up. I’m here. Now where’s the money?”
Congratulations, you are a Steemit Bum! Let me be the first to ignore you.
After watching this unfold in real time, I’ve started to see a trend develop and picked up on the stages one goes through on this grimy grind to the bottom:
Wanting
We all want money. It’s what pays our bills. It’s what lets us do fun things. It’s the key to our ability to do practically anything in life it sometimes seems. No one can blame anyone for wanting money, in fact I am sure that is the reason most of us got interested in this project in the first place. But money feels much better when it’s earned.
If I was on some sort of allowance from my parents as a fully functioning 31 year old, I think I would be pretty miserable every time I opened my checking account. If I got that same money from people I didn’t know out of pity, that money would feel a whole lot worse.
If this doesn’t bother you, then you passed the first step to becoming a bum: wanting money that you didn’t earn.
Lacking
“But how do I get upvotes?” If you find yourself asking this question, then you’re likely well on your way to step two.
Content shouldn’t be created with the goal of getting upvoted, but rather content should be created because you really enjoyed making it. Creating is hard and many lack the skills to consistently put out good posts. But just because you lack the ability to create content doesn’t mean you lack the ability to thoughtfully engage. But if you do, you can always resort to...
Begging
“I could really use some upvotes, because XXXXX”. We get it. Really, we do. There’s no other apparent place to turn after going through the first two steps, and a can in the hand is better than your head in the sand...or something like that.
These streets are different. Here, the foot traffic is fast, people are determined, and begging gets you left in their dust.
Desperation
“Hey, great post! Glad to have you on board!”
“Hey, great post! Glad to have you on board!”
“Hey, great post! Glad to have you on board!”
Become a real life human bot. Every new post, every trending post, copy and paste your comment as much as possible and one of these is bound to blow up. Right? RIGHT??
Unfortunately, Steemit ain’t got no time for that. The bum will be backhanded with downvotes over time and the plan will backfire as their name becomes known as...well, a bum. With their reputation in ashes and nowhere else to turn, the bum enters the next phase.
Anger
Hey, if you can’t earn money and you can’t even get money by desperately bumming around, you might as well let everybody know that you’re having a bad time. Downvote some top threads. Leave some nasty replies for some prominent people. Oh yea, this is going to go great.
Release
Oh the sweet release back into the wild that awaits them all! Flocking to other social media platforms to bash Steemit, the bum releases their hate onto the world. Finding other similarly minded people allows them to create tribes of mutual hate. A reassuring feedback loop reconfirms to them that they made the right choices in life.
Now, let me be clear, there are loads of people in terrible situations that really could turn their lives around with a little help. I'm not discounting that. If you want to help anyone and donate to them, feel free. If the cause is good, I’ll jump in and help alongside you.
However, if you think you found a ticket to bum paradise and just want some money while not contributing anything of substance, I’d suggest that maybe Steemit isn’t the right site for you…
Image Source: https://pixabay.com/en/poverty-men-arm-wealth-begging-96293/
I couldn't agree with this more, @derekareith . The sad reality is that no matter where you go, no matter how many social networking platforms you become a part of, incentive-based or not, there will always be the inevitable plethora of trolls, bums, spammers, scam artists, charlatans, and any other half-assed excuses for members of society that may fall into such a category. But that doesn't mean we can't hope for the eventual best in people to come out and shine through all the social negativity. Call me an optimist, a hippie, what you may, but the fact remains.... eventually everything comes back around and all of those clouding up our overall goal will soon be left in the dust while we all move on to become a part of something groundbreaking and successful. And if not, then in this case, what's the harm in a little comraderie? Can I get an amen (or something of the equivalent)? :D
In conclusion to my incessant ranting, I have to give it up to you Derek, it's refreshing to see so much insight to be gained on here to better one's future and well being, and whether you accept it or not, you are a part of that. After all, you introduced myself as well as other coworkers to this platform of sheer awesomeness, and so I must give thanks where thanks are due.
P.S.: Sarah is very excited to soon become a part of this as well! She plans to soon post up some of her artwork she feels is ready to be seen through my blog, and I will obviously continue to do my best to post things that are considered tasteful and relevant (yes, that includes more songs from my band!). Till then....
Keep up the good work, D-Rock!!!! <----(See that shit? I used the nickname I dubbed you! :p)
do you not think the same about those that just go around posting pictures on your posts too? as some do that such a lot.. you see the same picture over and over again and the same name attached. For me I want to write freely what is on my mind today and how i feel as it is not just about making money .. for me the word blog stands out and that is how i see it, money is an bonus if it appears. Although on saying that I do also write some things that are currently in draft to be written on another day that are totally different.
I say let them spam pics, it'll make it easier to identify the bums. When they try to make actual content, they won't likely get as much support. Once that happens a couple times, hopefully they start to change their ways. But if they don't there's plenty of room on other platforms for them :)
Us bums are gonna go moby dick on you whales!
I agree 100%, it seems most users are caught up in the chase to game the platform for cash.
With the way things are trending this is just going to be a currency game soon filled with upvoted internet garbage. I wouldn't be surprised this devolved into 4chan with money.
It very well may, but I have a feeling that if anything that will be a passing phase. Perhaps I'm too optimistic about the platform, but I feel the incentives are aligned in such a way to push good content to the top over the long haul.
You're absolutely right, @derekareith
Real life human bot detection alarm just went off :-p